Prom dress donations helped by local businesses

StarTek has stepped up as the collection site for the annual prom dress give-away sponsored by Mesa State College’s Sociology Club.

The club has been collecting gently-used prom dresses, shoes and purses for high school students for the past three years. This year, the program’s usual business sponsor was unable to get corporate support and could not serve as a collection site.

“Prom is a rite-of-passage and we’d hate to see these girls not get to go because of a dress,” said Alison Deshotels, Sociology Club representative.

Mackenzie Dodge, a morning talent at KEKB, asked for business support on-air last week. StarTek answered by offering to serve as a collection site for the dresses this year.

StarTek is committed to giving back to the community whenever possible, said Jason Kent Crowell, recruiting manager at StarTek.

Only a handful of dresses have been collected at the business so far, but Deshotels said that there have been several generous donations to the program this year.

This project is near to the heart of some StarTek employees who have been on the receiving end of the free prom dress program. “StarTek has done really well this year and that’s given our employees an opportunity to give back to the community,” Crowell said.

The business also host monthly fundraisers and events to support community organizations such as the Catholic Outreach’s Soup Kitchen or support to Little League Baseball teams.

“When you are in a position to help it feels nice to give back,” said Alicia Knott, a staffing coordinator who donated her pink prom dress to the cause. “It probably won’t ever fit again anyway,” she laughed.

StarTek will collect dresses from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Friday, March 19 at 630 S. Seventh St.

A dress drive will also take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 17-18 at the Academic Classroom Building at Mesa State College. The building is located at corner Elm Street and College Place.

The Sociology Club has partnered with The Tree House to help distribute the dresses.

“This is a community wide effort that our Bistro Board helps coordinate,” said Cody Moore, executive director of The Tree House.

The program has already distributed 30 to 40 dresses to R5 High School who had their prom on March 5. Last year, the program gave more than 100 dresses to young women in School District 51.

“It means a ton to these girls,” Moore said.

The dress distribution will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. March 26 at The Tree House, 1505 Chipeta Ave. There will be food, drink, and places to try the dresses on with “no questions asked.”